


Promise that I'll meet you halfway

by HopeSilverheart



Series: Shadowhunter Bingo [7]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Episode: s01e06 Of Men And Angels, Fluff, Getting Together, Insecure Alec Lightwood, M/M, Magnus Bane Deserves Nice Things, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:54:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24277720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HopeSilverheart/pseuds/HopeSilverheart
Summary: It happened so fast that it took Alec a few minutes to realise something had changed.He was still holding onto Magnus’ hand as the warlock worked hard to heal Luke. The man’s touch had always sent shivers running down his spine, but this new spark that had flared up at the edge of his awareness was different. It felt deeper, more concrete, like a bond.A Soulbond.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Shadowhunter Bingo [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1713982
Comments: 25
Kudos: 282
Collections: Favorite Malec Stories





	Promise that I'll meet you halfway

**Author's Note:**

> title is from Ben Platt's 'Honest Man'

It happened so fast that it took Alec a few minutes to realise something had changed.

He was still holding onto Magnus’ hand as the warlock worked hard to heal Luke. The man’s touch had always sent shivers running down his spine, but this new spark that had flared up at the edge of his awareness was different. It felt deeper, more concrete, like a bond.

A Soulbond.

When Jace had called him half an hour earlier, begging for his help, Alec hadn’t hesitated. He had made it to Magnus’ loft in record time and had kneeled beside the exhausted warlock without a second thought. He had looked into the man’s warm eyes and when Magnus had asked for strength, he had agreed to lend him whatever he needed.

In hindsight, he should have known his impulsive decision would have consequences. After all, it wasn’t exactly a secret that only acts of complete trust or true love could create a Soulbond between two people. Sharing his energy with Magnus definitely counted as the former so when Alec looked down at his left wrist, the one that was connected to Magnus’, he wasn’t surprised to see a single, golden line circling it.

For an instant, he forgot how to breathe. He had dreamed about forming a Soulbond with someone his entire life and seeing the golden proof that he had finally reached his goal made his heart flutter happily. He had found someone whom he trusted enough to share his soul with, and he didn’t know whether he was terrified or excited or both (definitely both).

He didn’t say anything though, didn’t let go of Magnus’ hand, didn’t let himself panic, because Luke was in pain and needed his help, and that was more important than his new bond with Magnus. The two of them could discuss it later, but Luke’s wounds wouldn’t be so patient.

So, he waited. He let Magnus do his thing, let him take his strength, and only let himself think about the bond when Luke was resting safely in one of the warlock’s spare bedrooms.

His siblings were sent away, Magnus asked him to stay, and Alec said yes. The line on his wrist pulsed brighter and he barely refrained from looking down at it. He didn’t want to draw Magnus’ attention towards it and didn’t want to think about how devastated he would be if the warlock didn’t have a matching mark on his right wrist.

“Thank you for your help tonight, Alexander,” Magnus told him as they sipped their drinks slowly. Alec didn’t love alcohol but he needed whatever courage the liquid could give him, so he ignored the foul taste and focused on what he had to say instead.

“You’re welcome,” he murmured. “I’m just glad Luke is okay and that I was able to do something for him.”

Magnus smiled at him gratefully but didn’t say anything else, so Alec let his gaze stray to the warlock’s wrists. His left one was bare and unmarked, and Alec didn’t know whether he was relieved or afraid at the sight. Maybe Magnus had a glamour on his skin that would prevent Alec from seeing any soul marks. It was the only thing he could think of that would explain the lack of golden lines on the warlock’s skin.

After all, the man had already lived for centuries. Seelies, vampires, and warlocks tended to gain marks over the years, for each person they loved or trusted enough to share their soul with. Someone like Magnus, with his warmth and smiles and beauty, should have had dozens of lines littering his skin. A glamour would have explained it all.

But then, of course, Alec’s gaze flicked towards Magnus’ other wrist, and his eyes widened at the two lines that adorned it. Two only; one black, the sign of a broken bond, and one golden, shining as brightly as Alec’s. A single active bond.

“I’m surprised you accepted my offer,” Magnus said a few minutes later, swirling his glass and staring at Alec coyly. “You’ve been particularly hard to catch, Mister Lightwood.”

“Ah, yes,” Alec grimaced. “I’ve been… busy. You know how it is, being a shadowhunter. Or maybe not, but well, you know…”

“Yes darling, I understand,” Magnus chuckled. “I’m just happy to have you here.”

“Happy- happy to be here,” Alec stuttered, his right fingers closing over his throbbing left wrist. Every part of him wanted to reach out to Magnus and pull him closer, but he couldn’t, not yet. “Magnus, earlier, did you…”

“Did I what, Alexander?” Magnus raised an eyebrow.

“Did you feel anything? When you took my strength,” he exhaled. “Or did it just feel like… Like it always does.”

“You make it sound like this is something I do every day,” Magnus laughed. “I promise that you’re a special case, Alexander. I don’t go around taking strength from just anyone. To answer your question though, I don’t think it felt any different, but I was a little bit distracted so who knows? Why do you ask?”

“Nothing, it doesn’t matter,” Alec sighed, rubbing at his mark self-consciously. Maybe it was an unrequited bond, maybe Magnus hadn’t felt the same way, maybe it had all been a game to him, maybe, maybe….

But then why was his bond gold? Why wasn’t it the black colour of a broken bond? Or the red colour of one that wasn’t returned? Surely, that had to mean something. And he  _ ached _ for Magnus in a way he shouldn’t have if the bond wasn’t complete. Raziel, why hadn’t the warlock noticed anything? Was he truly that immersed in his healing?

“Alexander,” Magnus’ voice cut through the haze of his thoughts. “Are you alright? Did you feel something as we were healing Luke? Are you hurt? Did I pull too much? Please don’t act like this is nothing if it could potentially harm you in the future. Or if it’s hurting you right now.”

“It’s not…” Alec breathed out. “It’s not that anything’s wrong, exactly. I’m fine, and so are you and Luke, so there’s nothing to worry about. But… I just…  _ Look _ .”

With that, he thrust his wrist into Magnus’ face, the gold line shining brighter as it got closer to the warlock. Magnus’ warm eyes blinked once, twice, and then widened comically. He reached for Alec’s hand reverently, his fingers trailing over the line as though he couldn’t quite believe it was there.

“Darling,” he murmured. “Is this what I think it is?”

“You know it is,” Alec snapped, pulling his arm back and looking away from the warlock’s delighted gaze. “But it’s clearly not requited.”

Magnus frowned heavily, glancing down at his own wrist. His lips parted at the sight of the two lines and suddenly, Alec wondered if there was hope for him after all.

“Magnus,” he started tentatively. “ _ Is _ my bond requited? Or does that line belong to someone else? Not the black one, obviously; I would never ask about that, because I know it doesn’t have anything to do with me and it’s none of my business, although hopefully you’ll tell me someday, especially if we really have a Soulbond, but…”

“The golden one is new,” Magnus said softly, an awed smile twitching at his lips. “It’s completely new, Alexander, and it’s completely yours. I never thought… I knew you felt something, but I never thought you would care… That you would trust me enough to grace me with one of these. I’ve never-”

The warlock cut himself off, but Alec could guess as to what he had been about to say. The two lines spoke louder than words.

“You’ve never had one before?” he suggested. “Not even the… the other one?”

“It was never requited,” Magnus answered. “And I’ve never trusted anyone enough with my heart or my soul before… Well, before you. You’ve unlocked something in me, Alexander, and clearly, I’ve unlocked something in you too.”

“Magnus,” Alec murmured hoarsely. “Of course you’ve unlocked something in me. Before you, I never would have even thought about coming out or dating a man or being true to myself. You mean so much to me, Magnus, and I’m not surprised that a bond was created between the two of us. After all, I trust you with my life.”

“Darling, you can’t just say things like that,” the warlock whispered, his breath hitching. “God, the things you do to me, Alexander. I couldn’t think of anyone better to have a Soulbond with. I just hope I’m worthy of it, for as long as it lasts.”

_ For as long as it lasts _ .

It occurred to him then that Magnus didn’t know about Nephilim traditions the way that Alec did. He didn’t know what the bond meant to Alec, what it would mean to every shadowhunter who met him.

“And if it lasts my entire life?” he asked, looking into Magnus’ eyes and trying to gauge his reaction. He didn’t want to scare the man off, but he needed the warlock to understand how important their bond was to him.

“You don’t know what the future holds, Alexander,” Magnus sighed, his gaze dropping to his wrist. “There might come a day when you find someone better, and I won’t hold it against you if you decide to bond with them and break our own connection. Just… Don’t make any promises you won’t be able to keep.”

Breathing in deeply and gathering all of his courage, Alec stepped closer to Magnus, grasping his right hand in his left and stroking the other man’s bond in soothing circles. His free fingers moved of their own accord, his thumb gently caressing Magnus’ cheekbone.

Alec had seen Magnus when he was acting coy, when he was teasing, when he was casting spells, when he was powerless, when he was happy and sad and even frustrated, but he had never seen him look so soft and vulnerable before. It made him want to cherish the man forever, and he sent waves of calm down their bond in the hopes of reassuring the warlock.

Magnus jolted slightly at the foreign feeling but Alec held on tight, unwilling to let him go. He had to explain a few things first and being close to the man made him feel braver than he had in years. If Magnus stepped away, he didn’t think he’d ever be able to get the words out.

“Maybe I don’t know what the future holds,” he admitted, his fingers dropping to Magnus’ chin and raising it until their eyes met again. “But Magnus, soulbonds are slightly different for shadowhunters. We aren’t immortal, and our life expectancies are lower than most people’s, so these bonds… They’re rare, and precious, and more importantly,  _ unique _ .”

A second passed. Another. And then…

“What do you mean, unique?” Magnus breathed out. “Alexander, what does that mean?”

“It means that just like shadowhunters only love once, they also only bond once,” Alec answered with a small smile. “I’m not saying it’s not technically possible to get a second soulbond, but it just doesn’t happen to most of us. And even if that weren’t the case, why would I want anyone else when I have you?”

He hadn’t meant to say the last part out loud, but he refused to take it back. Magnus was smiling right back at him, shaking his head minutely as though he couldn’t quite wrap his head around Alec’s passionate speech. Not that Alec could blame him for his incredulity, since even he was having trouble believing he had said all of that.

“You’re ridiculously eloquent when you don’t overthink things, Alexander,” the warlock chuckled. “But aren’t we getting ahead of ourselves? You haven’t even asked me out on a date yet.”

“Of course, how forgetful of me,” Alec laughed, his grin widening at the teasing glint in Magnus’ eyes. “How forward of me to have formed a soulbond between us before I even got the chance to take you out or kiss you. Does right now work for you?”

“Hmm, I’ll have to check my planner,” Magnus giggled, his arms circling Alec’s waist and tugging him until they were flush against one another. “But I’m sure I can make some time for you. After all, I can’t share my feelings with just anyone.”

“Lucky me,” Alec smiled, leaning in to get rid of the last few inches that still separated them.

As soon as their lips touched, the bond between them flared up, sending sparks down Alec’s arms and tingles all the way to his soul. Magnus was warm against him, soft and pliant and everything Alec had always dreamed of having, and he didn’t think he would ever get enough of it.

His fingers tightened over the golden line that circled Magnus’ wrist, and he could feel his heart beat in tandem with the warlock’s.

When they broke apart to breathe, their bond exploded around them in a shower of glitter and magic and sheer happiness.

**Author's Note:**

> Heya guys, thank you so much for reading! I didn't have anyone beta this fic so any mistakes are my own (feel free to point out any typos though). This isn't my favourite fic and I almost didn't post it, but it's up now so here goes nothing! I might post a second one tonight to make up for my doubts on this one, but I hope you enjoyed it anyways!
> 
> Love, Julie.
> 
> (find me on tumblr @hopesilverheart)


End file.
